Veterans, Patients and Pharmacists Call Out IM26 as Deceptive, Misleading and Costly
Ballot measure could increase prescription costs and limit access to needed medications

Sioux Falls, SD (April 11, 2018) – Veterans, patient groups and pharmacists are uniting against IM26, which was validated by the Secretary of State on Wednesday and will appear on the November 2018 ballot.

IM26 would force the state of South Dakota to redesign the way it pays for prescription drugs for state programs like Medicaid by mandating state agencies pay no more than the lowest price paid by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

Under current practice, the VA negotiates the lowest drug prices for the men and women who have served our country. One unintended consequence of this initiated measure could put veterans at risk by increasing the cost of their prescription drugs. The VA has previously noted that any attempt to expand those discounts to other agencies could put veterans’ prescription drug benefits in jeopardy and ultimately cost the VA as much as $3.8 billion per year.

Furthermore, IM26 is a misleading, vaguely worded and deceptive measure that stands to impose unworkable requirements on the state. In attempting to comply with these requirements, the state could incur new costs and increased bureaucracy, burdening South Dakota taxpayers. As onerous as this ballot issue could be for veterans and taxpayers, it could also increase prescription drug costs for the vast majority of South Dakotans with private or employer-sponsored health plans and Medicare.

IM26 received funding to get on South Dakota’s ballot from the California-based AIDS Healthcare Foundation, which generates 80 percent of its revenue from selling prescription drugs. Led by its controversial CEO Michael Weinstein, AHF funded similar efforts in California in 2016 and Ohio in 2017. With dozens of organizations representing veterans, patients, medical professionals, businesses and taxpayers – along with nearly every newspaper’s editorial page – urging a ‘no’ vote, voters in California and Ohio resoundingly defeated the measures.

Proponents of this deceptive ballot measure, including former Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Rick Weiland, included a section unprecedented in South Dakota law that would give a “committee of individuals responsible for circulating the petition” legal standing, should the ballot measure be challenged in court. Voters deserve to know why this provision was included, who is on this “committee” and why this “committee” should be granted special legal privileges.

Voters will have the opportunity to make their voices heard on IM26 during the general election this November. We encourage them to vote ‘no’ and send a message that out of state interests do not know what is best for South Dakota.

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PAID FOR BY SOUTH DAKOTANS AGAINST THE DECEPTIVE RX BALLOT ISSUE

Ballot Question Petition Validated for 2018 General Election Ballot

PIERRE, S.D. – Today, Secretary of State Shantel Krebs announced that the petition submitted for an initiated measure to establish a cap on the price a State agency may pay for a prescription drug was validated and filed by her office. It is the sixth ballot question to be placed on the November 6, 2018 General Election Ballot. It will be titled Initiated Measure 26.

“We reviewed the random sample of signatures, and 71.83 percent were found to be valid,” stated Secretary Krebs. An Initiated Measure requires 13,871 valid signatures to be placed on the ballot. This initiated measure petition included 22,091 signatures.

(22,091 x 71.8310 = 15,868 valid signatures)

Any citizen may challenge the Secretary of State’s approval of a ballot measure and must submit an original, signed affidavit to the South Dakota Secretary of State’s office within 30 days of validation. Electronic submission of affidavits will not be accepted. The deadline for a challenge to Initiated Measure 26 would be Friday, May 11, 2018 by 5 p.m. central time.

The office will review the initiated measure to legalize marijuana for medical use next. South Dakota citizens also have the ability to submit a referendum petition concerning laws passed during the 2018 Legislative session.

For more detailed information on potential 2018 Ballot Questions, click here.

 

Finally, another RINO is gone- Speaker of the House Paul Ryan.

The architect of the only comprehensive entitlement reform legislation introduced in the last 15 years, the architect of the only detailed Balanced Budget legislation introduced in the last 15 years, the architect of the Trump Tax Cuts, most effective fundraiser for Republicans in Congress, and a stalwart unwaverting defender of life from conception to natural death has decided to not run for re-election this November.

We need politicians who yell and scream and can only speak in simplistic bromides. Big thinkers who can actually draft legislation more than five pages long that has a chance of passage are RINOS

Now the seat is considered a “lean Democrat” this November and odds the GOP will lose control of House have surpassed 50%.

To “real conservative Republicans” this all makes sense.

Yankton County States Attorney Endorses Ravnsborg for Attorney General 

YANKTON, SD: Yankton County State’s Attorney Rob Klimisch endorses Attorney General Candidate Jason Ravnsborg.

“Jason is an attorney that I have faced in court many times, in both criminal and civil cases.” Klimisch said. “He is always well prepared and fights vigorously for his clients and is one of the hardest working attorneys I have ever met. I have seen him at his office late into the night many times in order to get everything done”.

Klimisch resides in Yankton, South Dakota, where he is a partner in the Klimisch Law Office. He has been the Yankton County States Attorney since 2005.

“Jason has the temperament and leadership skills that will him make an outstanding Attorney General.” Klimisch said. “He also has a number of ideas that I believe will assist law enforcement and state’s attorneys across our state in doing their jobs.” “Jason has my enthusiastic support and I urge you to support him as well.”

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The two younger mayoral candidates who ran inspirational and aspirational campaigns advanced to the run-off election last night against seasoned politicos, and at least one candidate who spent a tremendous amount of money.

A dedicated citizen servant in Christine Erickson completely outclassed a floundering Nick (man-bun) Weiland who could do little more than spout liberal talking points.

The closest of the major races had Janet Brekke, who ran a bizarre campaign at times, defeating John Paulson, whose campaign didn’t really seem to punch through the clutter.

What are your thoughts on the Sioux Falls elections last night, and how do you think the May runoff election is going to go?

The Brookings Opt-out, the second largest in State History, fell hard tonight on a 24-76% vote:

The opt out, which contained no capital improvements, and in an environment where no cost cutting measures were taken before the vote, did not fare well in many areas. In the Aurora portion of the District, the opt out went down on a vote of 200-7.

That might have been a strong indicator of how the night was going to go.

After Noem Push, USDA Puts Controversial 4H Rodeo Rule Under Review

USDA Secretary: 4-H may organize its rodeos in South Dakota as it always has 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – After a strong push from Rep. Kristi Noem, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today informed her the agency would review its legal opinion of Title IX’s application to 4-H youth rodeo. Barring action from Noem, the U.S. Department of Agriculture was moving forward with the elimination of exclusively “boys” and “girls” events in 4-H youth rodeo, against the wishes of many within the rodeo community.

“The previous legal opinion was more about political correctness than the rodeo experience for the kids involved,” said Noem. “After months of pressure, the USDA finally listened to those actually involved in the rodeo, hit pause, and allowed South Dakota youth rodeo to continue to operate as it has for decades. I am grateful to Secretary Perdue for hearing us out and helping me push career bureaucrats to take South Dakota 4-H seriously.”

In November 2017, Noem wrote Secretary Perdue regarding the issue. She explained in the letter that: “Whether it is barrel racing or calf roping, the differences between the male and female competitors can create unfair advantages… As a mother who has had three children participate in the program and volunteered for 16 years, I respectfully request your department conduct a review of its legal opinion…”

Earlier today, Secretary Perdue wrote in response that it would withhold action while the U.S. Department of Education conducted a broader review of Title IX regulations. The Secretary further confirmed that “It would also not be appropriate for the USDA to take action against the traditional structure of South Dakota’s 4-H rodeos while this review is ongoing. 4-H may organize its rodeos in South Dakota as it always has.”

Link to Secretary Perdue’s Full Response.
Link to Rep. Noem’s Full Letter.

Jackley Meets with President Trump’s Legal Team

WASHINGTON, DC: Just seven days from South Dakota’s historic U.S. Supreme Court tax fairness case, Attorney General Marty Jackley is meeting with President Donald Trump’s legal team.

The meeting at the Department of Justice gives Jackley and the Office of the Solicitor General an opportunity to outline their strategy for SD v Wayfair.

“We’re extremely grateful that President Trump has joined our coalition of 45 attorneys general to level the playing field for Main Street,” Jackley said. “We argued in our final brief yesterday that the revenue lost during out-of-state internet transactions is enough to add nearly $1,000 in education funding for every public high school student in the country—that directly impacts South Dakota.”

Jackley will have 15 minutes to present South Dakota’s case next Tuesday, followed by 10 minutes from the Solicitor General and 30 minutes from out-of-state retailers. Five minutes will be reserved for rebuttal by Jackley.

Both Trump and his Director of the National Economic Council Larry Kudlow have maintained that a favorable ruling for South Dakota would level the playing field for Main Street businesses.

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